Child skull found at Jersey care home 'WAS put there while building was a children's home', forensic tests confirm

Last updated at 14:17 08 April 2008

A child's skull fragment found at Haute de la Garenne was definitely put there while it was a children's home, police said today.

The remains were found by police investigating the former Jersey care home at the centre of abuse allegations.

Tests have now shown that they were placed there no earlier than the 1920s.

That date was 70 years after the site was opened as an Industrial School for Boys, said the States of Jersey police.

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The Haut de la Garenne children's home, which was run by Colin Tilbrook in the 60s

"It could well have found its way there more recently than that, but no earlier. This leaves us with no knowledge of how, when, or indeed where, the person died.

All we can say is that the bone was placed where we found it in the 1920s or more recently," said a Jersey police spokesman.

Further tests carried out on the skull fragment had failed to date it, - because the protein collagen had been destroyed in the bone.

"Archaeologists state that the bone could not have been found in a much less favourable environment as there was a large amount of lime present.

"They do say however, that from a study of the materials in the location where the find was made, the bone was placed at that location no earlier than the 1920s - some 70 years after the home opened as an Industrial School for Boys.

"It could well have found its way there more recently than that, but no earlier.

"This leaves us with no knowledge of how, when, or indeed where, the person died.

"All we can say is that the bone was placed where we found it in the 1920s or more recently," said the police statement.

Other bone fragments recovered were still being examined to determine their origin.

These include a number of small charred pieces of bone which will be forwarded for examination to the UK when a final identification has been made of all other bone fragments collected from the scene.

Away from Haute de la Garenne, the inquiry team was sifting through the "massive amount of information" from the public.

More useful information was received following the recent BBC Panorama programme on the investigation, and this was being followed up.

"As soon as we are satisfied that all the relevant evidence has been collated in respect of certain suspects, then the process of arresting them will commence," said the police.

Forensic examination of the cellar area was continuing with two teams of forensic examiners.

Further samples have been taken from a bath and are being sent to the mainland UK for examination.